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The Washington State University Extension Lewis County Master Gardeners will hold their 2023 Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 13, and Sunday, May 14.
The sale will be held at the Blue Pavilion of the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 13 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 14.
Sandy Papineau, a Master Gardener who will be running this year’s plant sale, told The Chronicle there will be a large assortment of plants available at the sale, which she said has been put on by the Master Gardeners for at least 15 years. According to Papineau, plants available at the sale will include maple trees, pine trees, bushes, perennials, annuals, tomatoes, orchids, cactuses, irises, native and regular strawberries, violets, egg plants, many kinds of squash, raspberries and succulents.
“We’ll have just about everything you can imagine,” Papineau said.
Plants that will be sold are grown by members of the Master Gardeners program.
“All of this was started and grown by Master Gardeners,” Papineau said, adding that for some Master Gardener trainees it was their first time growing produce for the sale. “It’s been a real learning experience.”
Tomatoes are expected to be one of the biggest sellers, with 1,400 or 1,500 for sale. Papineau said tomatoes are the “big thing” at the sale. During the 2022 plant sale, over 1,500 tomatoes were sold.
Papineau also said this year’s plant sale will be the first at which hanging baskets will be available for purchase. According to Papineau, the Master Gardeners ensure the plants they sell are of high quality.
“We’re careful about what we take to the sale,” Papineau said.
In addition to plants, there will also be a craft area at the sale.
The plant sale will also have a raffle. According to Papineau, there will be gardening supplies and other items available as part of the raffle.
“There are usually three or four real nice items for the raffle,” Papineau said.
Prices at the plant sale are expected to be competitive, with Papineau telling The Chronicle the plant sale’s prices will be “less than what you can get anywhere else.”
During the sale, credit and debit cards will be accepted for payment.
During the plant sale, the Master Gardeners will also be taking used pots, which they will then use.
“As you can see we go through a lot of pots,” Papineau told The Chronicle as she pointed to a large number of pots.
Customers attending the plant sale are asked to bring their own carts.
Learn more about Lewis County Master Gardeners online at https://lewis-mg-mrc.org/.
